Tag Archives: Najib

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has described the spirit of unity and harmony among the people of Sabah and Sarawak as a vibrant example of 1Malaysia.

He said that there were many examples in both states of how Malaysians of different racial, religious and ethnic roots “can come together around the many things that unite us, instead of allowing the few things that divide us to drive us apart.”

“The story of Sabah and Sarawak is the story of 1Malaysia, and has informed and inspired my commitment to this concept.

“They are a testament to the fact that our differences unite this country,” Najib said in his personal statement in conjunction with Malaysia Day today to commemorate the formation of Malaysia in 1963 by Sabah, Sarawak and the then Malaya.

Citing the Gawai celebrations in longhouses in Sarawak as an example, the prime minister said, he could not help but think that the people of Sarawak had already adopted the values of 1Malaysia “long before I explained its various elements.”

He said that this scenario had driven his commitment, and that he believed that it had an important and lasting impact on Malaysia’s development.

“Malaysians of any race or creed need simply look to Sabah and Sarawak to gain an understanding of the incredibly strong and harmonious unity that can be found in accepting and respecting the diversity of our nation,” he said.

On Sabah, he said, what impressed him the most was the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit among the people in their development of a thriving ecotourism industry, turning Sabah into a significant contributor to the nation’s economy.

He acknowledged however that the economic progress in the two states was being hampered by inadequate transportation networks, underfunded schools and insufficient provision of services.

That was why he extended federal government grants to local authorities in Sabah and Sarawak, he said.

Najib also said that it was important for the government to provide the same opportunities to all and improve the lives of Malaysians regardless of race, religion “or the corner of Malaysia that they choose to call home.”

“In the end, whether we live in a remote longhouse or a high-rise in Kuala Lumpur, we are all Malaysians and we are all part of the 1Malaysia that we love,” he said.

In his blog http://www.1malaysia.com.my, Najib also recalls the time when his father Tun Abdul Razak witnessed the historic proclamation of Sabah’s independence in 1963.

Najib said he was 10 at that time “but I remember how proud he was during that momentous occasion. Sabah and Sarawak occupy a special place in my heart because of that history.”

He added that much of the country’s cultural heritage was tied to the icons of life in Sabah and Sarawak.

“Longhouses are as much a mainstay of life there as they are a symbol for our need as Malaysians to learn to live under one roof and to build up our national house together.

“When the sun rises over Malaysia, it shines first on Sabah and Sarawak. Our future as a country depends on our ability to work and live together,” the prime minister said.

Beijing: The Chinese state news agency reported Monday that at least
129 people were killed and 816 injured when rioters clashed with the
police in a regional capital in western China after days of rising
tensions between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese.

The rioting broke out Sunday afternoon in a large market area of
Urumqi, the capital of the vast, restive desert region of Xinjiang,
and lasted for several hours before riot police officers and
paramilitary or military troops locked down the Uighur quarter of the
city, according to witnesses and photographs of the riot.

Rioters on Sunday overturned barricades, attacking vehicles and houses, and clashed violently with police, according to media and witness accounts. State television aired footage showing protesters attacking and kicking people on the ground. Other people, who appeared to be Han Chinese, sat dazed with blood pouring down their faces. The demonstrators had been demanding justice for two Uighurs killed last month during a fight with Han Chinese co-workers at a factory in southern China.

At least 1,000 rioters threw stones at the police and set vehicles on
fire, sending plumes of smoke into the sky, while police officers used
fire hoses and batons to beat back rioters and detain Uighurs who
appeared to be leading the protest, witnesses said.
The casualty numbers appeared to be murky and shifting on Monday. A
one-line report by Xinhua, the state news agency, giving the estimate
of 129 dead and 816 injured attributed the numbers to the regional
police department, but did not quote officials by name and did not
have any details. Earlier, Xinhua had reported that three civilians
and one police officer had been killed.

So in what sense are the “China Muslims” the “target” here? It looks as if they are fairly efficiently targeting the Han Chinese. But in the Malaysian mainstream media, of course, Muslims are always the victims, no matter what.

KUCHING: When then deputy prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein visited Kampung Pichin, Serian, in 1966, he launched a hill-clearing project for the construction of three Bidayuh longhouses and a water supply scheme.

Nearly 43 years later, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak saw the fruits of his late father’s labour when he toured the village, about 75km from here, yesterday.

From an album containing the historic photographs of his father’s visit to the village which was presented to him, Najib said he could see big changes in the kampung.

Warm welcome: Najib being greeted by Kampung Pichin villagers when he came visiting Thursday.

Besides the good infrastructure and basic amenities, Najib said at the meet-the-people session that he had noticed Astro satellite dishes on top of some houses.

Villager Reod Tulis, 67, said: “Life is so much easier. We now have electricity and piped water supply and telephone services.’’

Tulis could not hide his happiness as he joined hundreds of villagers, including 36 households of the three longhouses, to greet the Prime Minister and Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The village, which has nearly 500 households, has produced several prominent leaders like state Tourism and Urban Development Minister Datuk Michael Manyin, Serian MP Datuk Richard Riot and former assemblyman Datuk Dominic Dago Randa.

Dago had invited Abdul Razak to the village.

Najib brought with him a big gift in the form of an RM1.35mil cheque to fund the construction of a cultural centre for the villagers to celebrate their Gawai festivals and to hold other activities.

The Prime Minister also performed the earth-breaking ceremony for the project to be named after Tun Abdul Razak.

Later when asked to comment on PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s outburst against deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa for seeking unity talks with Umno, Najib said he was puzzled at Nik Aziz’s angry response.

PUTRAJAYA, May 28 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he was shocked at the cruel and inhumane treatment of ah long (loan sharks) on people who failed to pay up their debts.

He wants the authorities to take action under the law against such merciless loan sharks.

“I also hope that Malaysians are aware of the risk involved and learn a lesson from the reported inhumane acts committed by ah long, that they should never borrow money from ah long,” he said after announcing the official projection of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate, here, today.

Najib was asked by reporters to comment on the case of three men who were treated like dogs by Ah Long who chained them at the neck and feet to the walls of an unoccupied shoplot because of unpaid debts. Police rescued the victims yesterday.

The victims, who had each borrowed only RM1,500 to RM4,000 from the loan sharks, were also reported to have been beaten and forced to survive on tap water and a loaf of bread, which was given to them every few days.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha warned money lending companies that their licences will be revoked or suspended if they are found to be acting like ‘Ah Longs’ (loan sharks).

The ministry would take stern action against money-lending companies which contravene the rules stipulated by the operating licences.

Kong, commenting on the reported atrocity by loans sharks, said: “No proof that it was done by licensed money lenders, we will wait for the police report.”

Speaking after the ministry’s Excellence Service Award ceremony here today, he said the activities of licensed money-lending companies were monitored by the ministry’s enforcement unit and that they also have to give annual reports.

“As such, the Ah Long issue is not under the ministry. The people must not fall prey to Ah Longs. They are many financial institutions which can give out loans,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association has urged the government to seriously tackle the ‘Ah Long’ problem.

Its general secretary Datuk Maamor Osman said the present laws were incapable of stamping out ‘Ah Longs’ or illegal money lenders who kept tormenting borrowers and family members.

“The existing laws under the Housing and Local Government Ministry are inadequate as they only cover licensed money lenders.

“Only the police have the power to banish the Ah Longs,” he said in a statement today.

Maamor said the police should be given sweeping powers to banish ‘Ah Longs’ as their criminal acts were shameful and unacceptable to the people

PUTRAJAYA: The Barisan Nasional does not fear fresh elections in Perak and will face the rakyat (people) when the time comes, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib said holding fresh elections in Perak was one of the options available to settle the state government issue but it was “not something that has to happen.”

He said the decision was also not Barisan’s to make as the state constitution was clear that only the Sultan of Perak had the power to call for fresh elections should there be a need for one.

“Barisan is not afraid to face fresh elections. We know we have to face the rakyat and we will face the rakyat when the time comes,” he told a press conference after attending the Public Service’s Labour Day gathering here Thursday.

Asked whether Barisan would respond to a call by some Pakatan Rakyat leaders for a dialogue to resolve the Perak state government issue, Najib said it would depend on whether the Opposition was willing to show mutual respect and follow the rules inside and outside the state assembly.

He said there should also be no preconditions set prior to such a dialogue and the Pakatan Rakyat should be willing to be open enough to explore all possibilities if one was held.

Later Thursday, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Pakatan was willing and ready to meet Najib to resolve the Perak political crisis.

On PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s statement opposing any plans to set up a unity government with Barisan, the Prime Minister said there was nothing to reject as no proposal had been made yet to PAS on the matter.

Nik Aziz had said on Wednesday that he was “dead set” against the proposal as he “distrusted Umno to change in line with Islamic policies.”

Najib was asked about the possibility of another election for Perak to end the current political crisis in the state.

On Monday, the High Court ruled that Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was the rightful mentri besar after finding that the post could only be deemed vacant through a vote of no-confidence in the State Assembly.

But Datuk Zambry Abd Kadir filed an appeal against the decision in the Court of Appeal and was granted a stay of execution, allowing him to remain as mentri besar while waiting for the decision on the appeal case.

AK : Everybody scared of his own shadow because politician ain’t clean.

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is keen to see the controversial Mazu statue issue in the Kudat district settled amicably.

“I am always hoping for a settlement out of court,” the Prime Mi­­nister said when asked about the issue.

Najib said the door “is always open for us to settle the matter.”

The issue ended up in court after former chief minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat, who headed the Kudat Thean Hou Charitable Foundation, sued Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman and three other state government officers for ordering the withdrawal of the approval for the Mazu statue project on Nov 15, 2007.

Chong had abruptly resigned from Musa’s Cabinet on April 13, 2007.

Last week, the Court of Appeal granted a stay of proceedings on the Mazu statue project trial until the disposal of an appeal to overturn a previous High Court decision.

The High Court had, on April 21, dismissed an application by Musa and three others to declare the foundation illegal.

On Dec 30, 2007, Najib, who was then deputy prime minister, had expressed hope that the Mazu issue would be resolved as Sabah’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious people had a high level of religious and racial tolerance.

On his trip to Sabah, Najib said he found that the people’s response very positive, adding that it was an indication that the people were still strongly with the Barisan Nasional.

KOTA KINABALU, May 4: Najib Razak wants Sabah to remain as the ‘fixed deposit’ for the Barisan Nasional (BN). He said that this was to ensure the BN would continue to be at the helm of the country’s administration. “A year ago during a gathering here, I had described Sabah as the fixed deposit for the BN. Today I come to see if the value of that deposit has remained or has gone down. “I am very happy to note that Sabah is still the fixed deposit for the BN,” he said at a dinner with state BN leaders here Monday night.

Najib, who is BN chairman, said that the BN’s strength, however, should be injected with fresh impetus to ensure that the party continued to win the support of the people. “The support will not be there forever without the leaders, elected representatives and members of the administration nurturing it. “In line with this, I’ve mooted the ‘1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now’ concept,” he said. Citing Sabah as the best example of how the “1Malaysia” concept was being practised, Najib said that although the state had about 45 ethnic groups, the people were united and lived in peace and harmony. “Even in Umno there are Kadazandusun members who sometimes wear their traditional attire but equally comfortable wearing the Malay traditional attire. ‘”What is important is that we are all Malaysians,” he said.

Najib also called on BN leaders to carry out walkabouts to get close to the people at the grassroots level. “We should go down to the field and see for ourselves the problems faced by the people because what we hear from the comfort of our air-conditioned office will not be the same as seeing their actual problems. “I hope that his approach can be adopted from now on until the coming general election. The people is getting wiser and they are now demanding that we listen to them and help them solve their problems,” he said.

Najib also said that the federal government would continue to assist Sabah, particularly in terms of implementing development projects. “That is why I appointed four ministers and five deputy ministers from Sabah. Not only that there is an increase in the number, their portfolios have also been strengthened,” he said. “If previously there is a minister whom the (Sabah) people said only in charge of museums, that minister is now in charge of rural development. “The same goes with the post of foreign minister. Who would have thought that a Sabahan will be appointed to the post, but now this has become a reality,” he said. The four ministers from are Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok, Rural and Regional Development Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal and Foreign Minister Anifah Aman. (The Mighty Pen says: Najib has no choice in appointing them, otherwise his ass will be burnt!).

Najib however hoped that those holding posts at the federal level would not think only of Sabah’s interest but also that of the country. Also presence were Najib’s wife pussycat, Rosmah Mansor, Chief Minister Musa Aman, Deputy Chief Ministers Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Yahya Hussin and Raymond Tan, Sabah Umno deputy chief Salleh Said and BN component leaders.